Microscope covers

Smokedaddy · Post by **Smokedaddy** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:23 pm

Happy New Year,

I was looking for something to cover up my microscopes and ran across these on Etsy. I PM'ed the seller and sent him the sizes I wanted. I only ordered ONE at first to see if I liked it, then ordered the others. Seem to work fine for me. The turn around was super quick. Just thought some of you might be interested.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/586323787/ ... p-header-3

Sumguy01 · Post by **Sumguy01** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:29 pm

Thanks for sharing this info.

Lou Jost · Post by **Lou Jost** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:32 pm

Smokedaddy, what adapter do you use to connect your camera lens to the vertical illuminator (third picture)? I have the same model of illuminator and need to do the same thing. Thanks!

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:37 pm

So do I, I think!
My epi illuminator just has a fine male thread on the light-colored plastic.

Smokedaddy · Post by **Smokedaddy** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 2:01 pm

Lou Jost wrote:Smokedaddy, what adapter do you use to connect your camera lens to the vertical illuminator (third picture)? I have the same model of illuminator and need to do the same thing. Thanks!

This is sort of hard to answer. <g> I was just trying to figure this out the other day and ended up getting confused and had to step away from it for a few days. I should mention Nikon made two epi-illuminators. They actually called both models Universal epi-illuminators but they are physically different. Mine is the old style. It can be confusing, because the later Nikon infinity system used the same name but they are different.

To answer your question, the current adapter I use is Rafael's DT48,5-M42 as shown below. Where it gets confusing is it seems to small to me but I haven't a clue if it's supposed to be designed to small AND it centers up correctly once the set screw is tightened. I've been using it that way for about a year now.

Then a few days ago I took a few accurate measurements of the TOP flange on the epi-illuminator using a telescoping gage (that's an old picture from a few days ago) and came up with 52.83mm for the diameter. I suppose I'll have to make a dovetail with that measurement and see if it makes a difference.

For whatever it's worth I 'also' think the other adapter I have for the top flange on the Optiphot is incorrect and could be a little larger diameter wise but that's another story. Like I said earlier I pulled off this the other day after getting confused. These are the dovetail dimension I pulled then but could be wrong. <duh>

Hopefully I'll get back to this soon,
-JW:

Lou Jost · Post by **Lou Jost** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 2:16 pm

Thank you very much for that. I actually have one of those somewhere! Now I know why.

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 4:25 pm

There are at least three different epi-illuminators. I have the one shown, one which doesn't do BD but does have a 45° rotating polariser, and there's another one again on the Pol version of the 'scope.
What field does the arrangement you're using cover, JW? I guess what I'm saying is, have you tried a 24 x 36 body on it, which I imagine would show vignetting? I assume that's just 56mm of plain tubes?

Smokedaddy · Post by **Smokedaddy** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 10:57 pm

ChrisR wrote:What field does the arrangement you're using cover, JW?

Sorry, I don't understand the question? The camera is a Canon 50D. If you're talking about the scale with that particular setup (plain extensions etc.) it's 5x.

ChrisR wrote: I guess what I'm saying is, have you tried a 24 x 36 body on it, which I imagine would show vignetting? I assume that's just 56mm of plain tubes?

I assume you mean a full frame camera? No. I don't have the proper adapters for my D700, plus I don't use my D700 for stacking.

-JW:

Pau · Post by **Pau** » Wed Jan 02, 2019 1:48 am

Smokedaddy wrote:To answer your question, the current adapter I use is Rafael's DT48,5-M42 as shown below. Where it gets confusing is it seems to small to me but I haven't a clue if it's supposed to be designed to small AND it centers up correctly once the set screw is tightened

If it clamps well and is centered you have the right adapter.
Some time ago I ordered from Rafcamera a custom dovetail adapter for the Nikon AZ100. My measurements were based in the diameter of the female dovetail and it was all wrong, It even didn't allow mounting, I've needed to manually fill it a lot to make it mounting and centering well. In fact the male dovetail doesn't touch the female wall as it is only held by three points.